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4 HVAC trends to start 2017

26.01.2017

With a new year comes a fresh range of trials, tribulations, observations and opportunities for the global HVAC industry. Smarter, greener technologies are continuing to garner worldwide momentum, while the industry is predicted to enjoy healthy growth until at least 2020.

At WorldBuild365, we like to keep ahead of the curve when it comes to HVAC news so here are four trends to watch in 2017 and beyond. Of course, more trends and topics will be presenting themselves over the next twelve months, but here are four hot issues to get you started.

Worldwide HVAC demand continues to grow

Good news for HVAC equipment and system manufacturers: global demand for your products is set to reach new heights until at least 2020. Heights that peak at around $122 billion. Demand for HVAC technologies is set to hit this figure over the next three years, according to American research firm the Freedonia Group.

This means the industry will be growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4% until the 2020 mark. Other estimates point towards 6% growth. Whatever the figure, growth predictions are strong for the HVAC market.

Asia-Pacific will remain the most fertile ground for HVAC, with China and India leading the charge. However, Western Europe is expected to regain ground as a key market suggesting these regions could hold the biggest value for HVAC producers.

HVAC technologies get smarter

The drive to make the HVAC industry a) smarter and b) more energy efficient continues unabated with updated technologies emerging at a faster rate than ever before. Trends, such as the Internet of Things, are requiring machines to become more connected and communicative with global networks.

Take smart thermostats, for example. A smart thermostat allows for the control of temperatures from remote locations thanks to their internet connectivity for greater monitoring and efficiency. As such, these devices are seeing higher adoption rates across the world.

The ability for HVAC equipment to communicate remotely with operators also allows for its overall performance to be monitored more closely, as many systems will also be collecting real-time data. This could lead into longer operational system lives across the globe, improving maintenance costs for operators.

Integration: the new focus for HVAC design

Integration of HVAC systems, within the framework of building structures, is set to take off globally. Again, this is being fuelled by a greater desire by building operators and designers for greater control and efficiency from their systems, according to research firm Technavio.

For example, access controls combined with integrated HVAC controls gives users the ability to monitor and adjust temperature levels, based on the number of people in the conditioned environment, from a single platform.

Integrating HVAC systems into a building’s core, from the ground up during the design phase, also suggests greater collaboration between engineers and architects and design professionals in the near future. Indeed, collaborative projects are only set to expand across the architectural world.

Green technologies: the new HVAC norm

If this article has a theme, beyond cataloguing ongoing or upcoming HVAC trends, it could be energy efficiency. In a world of rising greenhouse gas levels and finite resources, it is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

So how is the HVAC world responding? With more eco-friendly tech. Often, this means experimenting with new refrigerant sources as traditional HFCs continue to be phased out globally. Other units are so efficient they can actually generate power and it to the grid.

American company Be Power Tech, for example, claims its BeCool™ system is efficient enough, thanks to its process that uses evaporative cooling, that it can put power back into national grids – creating a small revenue stream for its operators.